


Nothing Without You

by yeysal



Series: Burn Out - A Chronicle [5]
Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Age-Appropriate Drinking, Alcohol, Ford constructs the portal, Friendship, M/M, enjoy it while it lasts, fluffy as fuck at the end
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-22
Updated: 2015-11-22
Packaged: 2018-05-02 23:09:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5267372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yeysal/pseuds/yeysal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ford makes his plans to construct the portal and calls his friend, Fiddleford to help him with the project. He's excited to introduce Bill to his friend but is surprised when Bill tells him to keep him a secret...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nothing Without You

**Author's Note:**

> This one is a bit shorter than the rest.
> 
> Also please note that this chapter spans over a period of six months. 
> 
> I have posted over 100,000+ words in the last three months. My brain is exhausted.

Bill hummed and tapped his finger to his chin, “I think it should be higher…”

Ford sighed, “Bill…there’s no more wall space…” Ford stared at the many tapestries with Bill’s true form embroidered on them, “I mean…we can spread out…but I’d have to add an additional room to the shack.”

“Fine,” Bill shrugged, “It’s decent enough. Though I think my favorite is the red-paned window overlooking the front lawn.”

“You know the sun sets in that direction,” Ford grinned, “So it’ll cast an interesting light in the attic.”

“If only your study had windows,” Bill leaned against the doorframe, watching Ford hang the last tapestry, “With all these murals I should have no problem getting through to you. I won’t be using too much energy anyway.”

“Well that’s good,” Ford brushed his hands off as he came down the ladder, “So I can be anywhere in the shack?”

Bill nodded, “And not to be a creep, but if I put forth a little bit of energy I can see through these like a security camera.”

Ford’s gaze shifted uneasily, “That’s…wow.”

Bill smirked, “Yep.”

Ford shrugged, “I’m going to try not to think about that too much.”

Bill cackled, “Oh, this is gonna be fun!”

Ford shook his head with a small grin as he turned the light off and led them both out of his study, “I have a feeling I’m going to regret this.”

“Ah, don’t listen to that,” Bill poked Ford’s chest as they entered the small elevator, “We still need to get you that tattoo.”

Ford looked around anxiously, “I don’t know about that just yet,” he opened the gate as the doors swung open, “The idea of needles poking my skin…” he shuddered.

Bill followed Ford into the living room, “Well, you know where to find me if you change your mind,” he chuckled as he gestured around the room, “I’m in here, in the attic, and draped all over your study!”

Ford laughed, “I’ll keep that in mind.” He grabbed his journal and sorted through the pages, “Hey, do you think it’s been long enough to where I can explore the craft again?”

Bill poked at a small jar, “I don’t see why not,” he blew some dust off the top of the lid, “It’s been over six months. You should be fine.”

“Well, now that I know what to expect,” Ford grabbed the neutralizer from off his worktable with a proud grin, “I can be better prepared.”

Bill smirked, “Do you remember what you have to look for?”

“Sure do,” he showed Bill the drawing of the symbols, “I think I’ll head out sometime tomorrow since it’s getting a little late…”

Bill looked out the window, “Hm, you’re right,” he stretched, “Well, I think I’ll head on back. There’s not much else we have to go over and you’ll have your hands full with the craft.”

Ford assembled his journals into the shape of the portal design, “Hey, Bill? I have something to ask…”

“What is it?”

Ford rubbed the back of his neck, “Well…assembling this portal is going to take a lot of work. I know that you won’t be able to do much since the craft is warded. I just…don’t think it’ll be safe to build this thing alone.”

Bill turned and leaned against the front door, “Do you want me to send someone to help you?”

“Oh, no, no,” Ford laughed nervously, “I have an old college buddy of mine who excelled at building technological projects. He would have graduated top of the class had I not taken the spot. I was wondering if you wanted to meet him?”

“I’m not interested in the slightest,” he waved his hand as he walked over to Ford, “But I have no problem with him helping you build the portal.” He tapped Ford’s lips with his index finger, “So long as you keep it as mum as possible.”

“Um…I don’t think I’ll be able to hide reasons why I want to build a gateway between worlds,” Ford took Bill’s hand, “I have to tell him _something_.”

Bill looked down at the ground, “I’m sure you’ll think of something,” he brought Ford’s hand to his lips to press a quick kiss, “I believe in you.” He let go of Ford’s hand to poke his nose, “I know you won’t let me down.”

“So you don’t even want to meet him?” Ford was a little disappointed that he couldn’t introduce two of his closest friends…well, Bill was way more than a friend at this point but still…

Bill closed his eyes and made his way to the door, “I’m sure our paths will cross eventually,” he shrugged, “But for now, just leave me out of it.”

Ford frowned and walked over to his partner, “Hey…” he grabbed Bill’s hand before the other man could walk out the door, “If you don’t want him to help me all you have to do is say so.”

Bill sighed and turned back around, “He can help you, Sixer,” there was a small red tint on his face, “I just won’t be able to come around while you’re building the portal…with the wards and all…”

Ford blinked, “Even if it’s down in the basement?”

“The ward is effective at about ten feet so I should be able to come to the shack,” he looked up at Ford, “But how do you explain _me_ to your friend? You’re a pretty terrible liar.”

“I’m sure he’d understand,” Ford gave Bill a reassuring smile, “I’ll have to tell him about all of this stuff when he runs into it anyway.”

Bill smiled and shook his head, “Very optimistic, Sixer, I like it,” he leaned up to give him a quick kiss, “But listen to me, don’t tell him about me. And don’t tell him too much about the project. If you need to talk to me all you have to do is meditate. It’ll be fine.”

Ford seemed unsure but when Bill gave his hand a supportive squeeze, he smiled and nodded, “Okay.”

Bill leaned up and kissed Ford’s cheek, “I’ll see you when I see you,” he pulled back with a wink.

Ford waved him off and waited until the blonde was out of sight before heading back into the shack. He was able to hunt down his old phonebook which had only two phone numbers: his parents and his friend, Fiddleford McGuckett.

* * *

The next day, Ford greeted Fiddleford at the Gravity Falls bus station and assisted his old friend in carrying his luggage.

Fiddleford looked around, “Uh…hey, pal, where’s your car?”

Ford chuckled, “Eh, it got towed...it’s in the next town over…”

Fiddleford shook his head, “Parking in handicapped spaces again, huh? Things never change.”

And Bill said Ford was a terrible liar.

Ford shifted his friend’s bag over his shoulder as they walked, “It’s not too far from here,” he pointed to the pathway leading into the forest, “It’s half a mile this way.”

Fiddleford shuddered, “I can’t believe you get around without a car…do you realize how much time you’ll save getting to places if you could drive?”

Ford shrugged, “Walking is more convenient for research.”

Fiddleford sighed, “So what’s with this big project you want me to help you with? You said it was going to be some kind of portal?”

“Yes! I found that a lot of the strange things in this town come from somewhere that isn’t of this dimension…and I may have found the weak spot between our dimension and somewhere else…”

Fiddleford blinked, “Ford, you’re my good friend, so tell me, how much sleep have you gotten? Because you sound insane…”

“I’m serious! Just wait until tomorrow when I show you what’s laying beneath the town’s cliffs!”

“What is it?”

“We’ll talk about it when we get to the shack,” Ford smiled, “You’re never going to believe this.”

* * *

 

Fiddleford had taken the finding of the spacecraft surprisingly well. The first trip inside was a little nerve-wracking for the both of them and they nearly tripped the security system again but Ford was able to diffuse the small flare up before anything serious would happen.

The two explored and documented the spacecraft for two weeks until they finally found all the symbols they needed to begin constructing the portal.

Fiddleford had designed blueprints within the third week and the two quickly realized they were going to need more than just a few pieces of equipment.

“How the hell are we going to power the thing?” Fiddleford sat against the couch as he overlooked his plans, “We would need something stronger than gasoline…and this thing would need a massive control panel…” he shook his head, “Based on these calculations, it could take us years before we could even build it…” He looked over at Ford, “You have any ideas?”

Ford rubbed tiredly at his eyes, “Um…” he dragged his hand down his face and paused when he remembered his study, “Give me five minutes…” he said as he stood up and headed for the doorway that led to his elevator.

When Ford entered his study, he sighed with relief at the images of Bill’s true form lining his walls. It had been a long time since they last spoke and Ford was starting to feel that nostalgic itch for a conversation…

He sat down in the middle of the floor and thought back to when he was in the craft that first day he meditated. As he concentrated, he thought back to the scene of the beach on the swing set.

 _Hey there, Sixer,_ a familiar voice rang out, _Long time, no talk._

“Bill…”

_I see you’re having some issues with the portal design…_

“Yes…we’re kind of stuck past the blueprints,” Ford tried to focus as he felt himself losing contact, “I was wondering if you had any advice…?”

Bill hummed and was silent for a moment before he spoke again, _The blueprints are spot on…you just need to get more equipment._

“But where…we found the pieces with the symbols on them. Do you think we could use parts from the craft?”

Bill chuckled, _Where else could you find better material?_

“But what about powering it? Bill…this could take a few years…”

Bill shushed him, _Sixer, these things don’t happen overnight. It may be a while before it will be fully operational. The important thing is that you’ve started._

“If you say so…”

_I do. Trust me, you can do this. You know where to find me if you need me…_

Ford felt the rush of awakening and he opened his eyes to the cold and quiet room. Without Bill’s presence, everything seemed so…empty. He stretched quickly as he stood and rushed back to the living room to tell Fiddleford about going back to the craft.

Fiddleford shook his head as they made their way back to the craft, “I don’t understand…how do you know all of this will work?”

Ford shrugged, “It’s just a hunch I have…plus I’ve been a little inspired lately, I can’t really explain it but I have a really good feeling about all of this.”

Fiddleford regarded Ford suspiciously but hummed in understanding. In a few hours, the two had collected enough equipment for both of them to carry and by the time they made it back to the shack, night had fallen.

As they set up in the basement, Fiddleford looked at his plans and wiped his brow, “Ford, we should probably set up the rooms for the control panel,” he looked up, “And possible a viewing room…just in case.”

Ford nodded, “That’s a good idea. This thing will need a massive control panel.”

Fiddleford hummed, “Bigger than the first computer ever invented at least…” Fiddleford rolled up his sleeves as he grabbed a slab of metal, “I’ll go put these over here.” He began dragging the pieces over to the wider expanse of the basement.

Ford checked over the blueprints and smiled in excitement. He wished he could fast forward time to the finished product and learn all there was to learn from Bill. But he understood that the work was only half the fun and he would have to be patient. If Bill could wait nearly two hundred years to regain his power…then Ford could afford a few years of patience.

The quiet work environment was interrupted when a harsh beeping sound sounded off from Fiddleford’s backpack. The other man looked up in surprise and rushed over and fished out this strange, walky-talky device. “H-Hello?! Honey…what’s wrong?!”

Ford sat back and stared at the device Fiddleford was holding with peaked amusement. It was comically large. Fiddleford had to hold it with two hands to keep it to his face. It had a large antennae coming out of it and Ford could hear some slight static on the other end.

Fiddleford sat down with a look of happy surprise on his face, “Oh…oh well that’s great, dear! I’m…well of course I’m excited! I’m incredibly excited! This is…this is what we’ve been…oh of course not! I’ll come right back if that’s what…oh, are you sure? Really? Well…okay, is your sister there with you? I’m not sure how long I’ll be up here, this project could take months. But listen, I’ll fly back down there faster than you can say ‘butter biscuits’ when you’re ready.” He paused as whoever he was talking to (Ford presumed it was his wife) spoke to him for a few minutes, “Well…it’s kind of hard to explain what this invention will do, we’re still working on the mechanics. Nothing dangerous, though, I promise! Will you please call me every day? I’m so excited, honey! Really…” he smiled down at the device and nodded, “I love you, too, talk to you soon.” He took the device away from his ear and pressed a button that ended the transmission, “Wow…”

Ford pointed at the device, “What is that?”

Fiddleford looked up at Ford in shock as if he remembered the other man was in the room, “Oh! This is something I recently invented! It’s a personal phone that connects to another phone. I made it a few months ago and gave the other phone to my wife. It’s similar to a walky-talky but if you have the connecting data number of another phone…you can contact them through it! Isn’t it neat? I should really show this to a phone company. Can you imagine the possibilities?”

Ford smiled humorlessly, “So it’s really just a fancy one way radio without the “one-way?” Ford shrugged, “I mean…it sounds pretty simple but…nice work.”

Fiddleford scoffed, “You have no idea how useful it can be,” he rummaged through his bag to place the phone back in, “That phone call was a perfect example.” He sat back with a happy smile, “Caroline’s pregnant.”

Ford looked up, “Wow, really?”

Fiddleford took a happy breath, “She went to the doctor today…five weeks. I’m going to be a father!”

Ford nodded, “That’s great, congratulations.” He looked down at the blueprints and had a thought, “So…you’ll have to go back soon…” He frowned when he realized this happy news would set them back for a while…

Fiddleford shook his head, “No, not at all. Only if there’s an emergency. Though I probably will head back when she gets further along. So…six months?”

Ford considered the time frame, “Makes sense. Wouldn’t want to take you away from that happy moment.”

Fiddleford sighed, “It’s…I wish I could be there now…but we should be able to set up the main part before I have to leave. I’ll keep you updated.”

Ford hummed in agreement, “Right…let’s get back to work.”

* * *

Six months came and went in the blink of an eye and before either of them had a chance to marvel at the creation they were able to build, Fiddleford was packing his bags to head back to Palo Alto.

Fiddleford patted Ford’s shoulder at the train station, “I should be back within the next year. You can still reach me on my phone if you need any help.”

Ford nodded, “I think I can manage on my own in the meantime.”

Fiddleford looked at Ford with concern, “Ford…are you sure you’re alright up there all by yourself, I mean…I don’t mean to sound condescending but…you’re different back from our college days…”

“I don’t understand…”

Fiddleford shrugged his shoulder, “I don’t know you just seem…more distant than usual…” Before Ford could retort, Fiddleford continued, “And you always seem like you’re talking to someone…even in your sleep…”

Ford’s face went red, “I-uh…I don’t know. It may just be the stress of getting this project completed…it is my life’s work…”

Fiddleford shook his head, “You need to find yourself a nice girl, Stanford,” he smiled teasingly, “Or at least someone to give you some company. Someone _real_.”

Ford shoved Fiddleford’s shoulder, “Oh, look, there’s your train,” he smiled and clapped his friend on the back, “Just let me know when you plan on coming back down. And congrats, again!”

Fiddleford smiled excitedly as he headed for his train, “Sure thing, buddy! Be careful with all that equipment and don’t start any fires!”

Ford nodded as he waved his friend off and when the train pulled out of the station, Ford felt a little grateful for the time he was able to spend with an old friend.

He also felt relieved that he would have some time to himself for a while. He still had a lot of ideas for how to get the portal running but without Fiddleford to bounce ideas off of and Bill not being able to get near the equipment due to the wards, he was kind of stuck.

So he went back to the basement to go over the blueprints and outline a plan of action for when Fiddleford returned. He was about two hours into his work when he heard a small voice in the back of his mind.

_Hey Sixer…_

Ford smiled, “Hey, Bill.”

_Working hard I see._

“Of course,” he folded the blueprints up and looked at the constructed gateway, “We’ve made great progress. Fiddleford won’t be back up here for another year or so but I think I can manage to get some work done without him.”

_You’ve done really well. Say…it’s been a while, hasn’t it?_

“Since what?” Ford picked up a heavy barrel shaped object and placed it off to the side of the gateway.

_Since we’ve talked face to face._

Ford stopped, suddenly realizing that he had spent the last six months without seeing Bill at all. The conversations they would have in his mind were scarce and the only thing about Bill he could hear was his voice…Ford felt an ache in his chest, “It has been a while…wow…it didn’t feel like much since we’ve talked almost every day but…wow.”

Bill chuckled. _Doesn’t sound like you missed me being there all too much._

Ford realized what Bill was implying and blushed, “Uh, no! It’s not like that! I-“

_Party, tonight. You in?_

Ford rubbed the back of his neck, “Uh…I…Bill, I really wanted to continue working on this outline…but…can I see you tomorrow?”

There was a small silence and Ford gripped the edges of his paper in his hands nervously as he waited for what felt like an eternity.

_Of course, Sixer. Have fun._

Relieved, Ford smiled, “Thanks, Bill…” there was an abrupt shift in the atmosphere in the room and Ford could tell that Bill had ended their connection before he could utter his response. Ford sighed, “I’m sorry…”

Ford spent the next few hours attempting to work on his outline. What to do with the generators was his biggest question. They would have to connect to the control panel, which they hadn’t built yet and then they would have to find some kind of fuel source to kickstart the machine. Ford sighed as he put his pen down. “Hey, Bill…I could really use your help here…”

Silence.

Ford looked around, “Bill? Come on…you’re not mad about me not going to the party are you?”

More silence. It was as if Bill had completely tuned Ford out.

Ford frowned and shook his head. Bill had never declined answering Ford when he called. Based off his reaction about Ford refusing his the offer to go to the party, Ford reasoned that Bill was pretty upset about it, “You know I don’t like parties, Bill…I don’t know if you can hear me…but this is pretty silly for you to be upset over something like this. If you’re even upset.”

The sound of the quiet shack was almost deafening. Ford grumbled and went back to work albeit a bit more frustrated for other reasons now. Soon the frustration morphed into guilt and it made it difficult for Ford to enjoy his progress. The more he thought about how long he went without seeing Bill, the more he realized how much he actually missed the blonde’s company.

Ford sat back at his desk and looked at his outline with all of his notes in place. Ford realized that he would have never gotten this far without Bill’s guidance. He had worked particularly hard these last few months in order to accomplish his goals and Bill was always there to help him when he needed it.

Ford didn’t stop and think that maybe Bill missed his company, too… Ford sighed heavily as he leaned back on his desk. It was just a small break from his work. Bill was only trying to help…as always.

Ford checked his watch for the time and his eyes widened when he realized it was close to 10 PM. Bill’s party was definitely still young…if he left now…

But what if Bill was upset with him? What if he was no longer invited? Ford paced his living room anxiously as he debated his options.

One, Bill wasn’t answering him; two, if he didn’t go he wasn’t sure how Bill’s mood would be the next time they talked; three, he risked encountering Bill’s friends without Bill’s protection…

Ford shook his head. Bill would never leave him to the wolves but the thought was not less terrifying. Either way, Ford was damned if he did and damned if he didn’t.

He looked out in the direction of Bill’s mansion and sighed as he grabbed his jacket, opened the door, and decided to face the music.

Literally.

* * *

 

Ford felt like an idiot standing in front of the doors of Bill’s mansion. In theory it seemed logical but now that he was here, this was a terrible idea. Bill probably wouldn’t have wanted him here. Ford frowned as he decided to head back home.

Before he could turn away, the doors swung open and a very inebriated-looking (and once again, shirtless) Bill smiled happily, “Stanford! You made it!” The blonde pulled Ford inside and gave him a very excited hug, “I’m so happy!”

Ford had to catch Bill before he could send them both tumbling to the floor and one of the things he noticed was that there was no loud music playing. The lights weren’t flashing, the floor was clean, and there weren’t as many people as usual.

The brunette steadied them both and pulled back to look at Bill, “Uh…where is everyone?”

Bill gestured up the stairs, “We’re in the gaming room,” he grabbed Ford’s hand, “I decided to have a small get together with some friends instead of a big to-do. Come on!”

It was as if the past few hours didn’t happen and Ford didn’t have the time to respond as Bill dragged him towards the stairs and nearly popped his shoulder out of place in the process. Something was off and the brunette stopped and pulled Bill back, “Wait, Bill…look, I,” he stared at his friend a bit nervously, “I wanted to apologize for earlier…”

Bill looked at him curiously, “Why?”

Ford held up his hands, “Well…you seemed upset and you didn’t answer me…when I called for you…”

Bill’s face fell and he grabbed Ford’s hands with a small smile, “I’m so glad you’re here, Sixer,” he gently pulled Ford along with a gentle expression, “Come on, we can sit together and watch my friends play pool.”

Ford hesitated but decided to follow Bill, gripping his hand tight, “Hey, Bill…I have a question.”

Bill chuckled, “When do you _not_ have a question, Sixer?”

Ford chuckled, “I was just wondering why you’re never wearing a shirt at your parties?”

Bill didn’t respond save for his cackling laughter.

When they arrived at the gaming room, Bill went straight to other side of the bar to prepare drinks for the both of them while Ford looked around the darkly lit room. Bill’s friends paused momentarily to regard Ford and once they acknowledged the brunette’s presence, they went straight back into their game.

Veronica was standing off to the side leaning against her pool stick and eyeing Ford up and down with a smile. It made Ford a little uncomfortable and he paced closer to Bill out of slight fear. There were a few other people that Ford hadn’t met before but he had seen them at each party he happened to walk in on.

Bill nudged Ford’s arm and handed him a drink, “We’re over here,” he gestured to a small area that was raised up like a stage with a large lounge chair that was decorated with pillows.

It reminded Ford of a throne.

Bill placed his drink on one arm of the chair and took a seat, patting the space next to him excitedly, “You should take off your jacket,” he suggested, “It’ll warm up in here in no time.”

Ford blushed as he removed the jacket and placed it neatly to the side before he sat down next to Bill, “How much have you had to drink, by the way?”

“I would say ‘too much’ but I don’t believe in such things,” he cozied up beside Ford and placed Ford’s arm around his shoulder, “Mm, I missed this.” He leaned back against Ford’s chest and rested his head on Ford’s shoulder with a smile.

Ford reddened at the contact, his gaze shifting over to Bill’s friends who were throwing glances in their direction every now and then. Veronica had a wide smile on her face at the sight of the two of them and Ford inched away from Bill, “Bill…they’re staring at us…”

Bill hummed, “So?”

Ford stammered, “I…I don’t…this…”

Bill sighed and pulled away, grabbing his drink, “I’m sorry,” he took a long gulp, “But for the record, they don’t care as much as you think they do, you know.”

Ford looked down at Bill’s friends playing pool, “I know…I just…I’m a little weird about public displays of affection.”

Bill shrugged, “It’s hardly public,” he leaned back on his chair and stretched out his legs, “I understand though, we can just sit here if that’s what you want.”

Ford felt a little guilty as he looked down at his drink, “Maybe I shouldn’t have come.”

Bill looked over and touched Ford’s shoulder, “No…I’m really happy that you’re here.”

Ford shook his head, “It’s not that,” he took a sip of his drink, flinching at the burn as it went down his throat, “I’ve just…I’ve never been good at these type of things…social situations.”

Bill smiled reassuringly, “Hey…it’s okay,” he patted his shoulder, “Do you…do you want to go to my room instead?”

Ford shook his head and leaned back, “No…I don’t want to keep separating you from your friends…all the time.” He inched closer to Bill, feeling a bit safer now that he was further back from everyone’s view, “We can stay here…”

Bill inched closer as well and he leaned over to kiss Ford’s cheek, “They can have fun without me…I want you to have fun, too.”

Ford smiled and grabbed Bill’s hand, “I will,” he gripped Bill’s hand supportively, “It’s just been a while.”

Bill grinned and slid over between Ford’s legs, resting his back against Ford’s chest, “Six months is a long time,” he rested his head back on Ford’s shoulder and grabbed Ford’s hand, “I’m really proud of you, though. You’ve made great progress with the portal.”

Ford laced their fingers and looked over at Bill, “Really?”

Bill nodded and slowly brought Ford’s hands to wrap around him, “Yes. You’ll be charging it up in no time and after that…infinite knowledge.”

Ford hesitated before he relaxed and wrapped his arms around Bill’s waist and pulled him closer, resting his forehead on Bill’s shoulder, “Thank you.”

Bill only grinned in response and the two sat in a comfortable silence as they watched Bill’s friends play pool below them.

Ford nuzzled Bill’s shoulder gently as Bill ran his fingertips along Ford’s arms. Ford grinned when it seemed like Bill had fallen asleep for a few minutes but was roused when one of his friends cheered at winning the pool game. Bill groaned and stretched out his legs before relaxing back against Ford.

Veronica walked up the small staircase and stared at the two, resting her head on the banister, “Cipher, are you going to play one round or no?”

Bill only shook his head and waved her off.

Below, one of the other guys snickered as she came back down with a disappointed huff. Ford couldn’t hear what they were saying but Veronica had responded with a short, “I’m not so uncouth to eat out of Cipher’s dish…”

Bill gently grabbed Ford’s wrist and shook it, “Don’t pay them any mind,” he kissed Ford’s neck, “They’re just jealous.”

Ford shook his head, “I’m fine. I’m quite happy here.”

Bill hummed and closed his eyes, falling into another slumber. Ford held him closer as the blonde slept and watched Bill’s friends play pool for another two hours. Eventually, one of the people below yawned loudly and exclaimed they were heading out. The others agreed quietly and shouted their goodbyes.

Bill stirred a bit after Ford nudged him gently and he stretched, “Bye, guys,” he waved lazily, “See you around…” He fell back against Ford with a lazy groan.

When the room was empty and quiet, Ford nudged Bill again, “Think you’re energetic enough to make it to your bedroom?”

Bill shook his head and made negative sound as he turned around to face Ford. He lazily straddled the brunette’s hips and pulled him close for a kiss.

Ford realized there was nothing like a first kiss after being separated for so long. He smiled into it as Bill deepened it lazily. When he wrapped his arms around Bill’s waist, the blonde pressed even closer with a slight roll to his hips.

When Bill pulled away, he smiled and nuzzled Ford’s nose, “I missed you.” Ford gasped when Bill ran his hands down to his pants and attempted at unbuttoning them. Ford tensed in anticipation but as the blonde continued to struggle with the brunette’s pants, he looked up at Bill’s face and nearly burst out laughing.

Bill looked incredibly perplexed as he looked down, “Why…are your pants being such assholes?” He jerked at the button and stopped to look up at Ford, “Seriously…I need help here…”

Ford shook his head and placed his hand to the back of Bill’s neck, “I think you’re too sleepy,” he pulled Bill in for a kiss, “Maybe we should hold off.”

Bill whined softly as he rested his forehead against Ford’s, “But I don’t want to…”

Ford chuckled, “You don’t want to sleep or you don’t want to hold off?”

Bill groaned as he tiredly fell to the side and off of Ford’s lap, “Stupid human inhibitions,” he mumbled softly as he rested his head on a pillow before peering up at Ford, “Stay with me at least?”

Ford laughed gently as he moved Bill’s leg out of his lap to lay beside him, “Of course,” he scooted closer to the blonde and pulled him close, “Do you want to sleep here or…?”

Bill wrapped his arms around Ford and nuzzled up to him, “This is fine…” his voice was incredibly sleepy and in no time, he was knocked out.

Ford smiled and kissed his forehead as he closed his eyes. Before he succumbed to sleep, he looked down at his sleeping friend and held him a little closer, “I missed you, too.”

* * *

 

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are greatly appreciated! Let me know what you think! 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
